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4IVALTER K; FOSTER,- OF (rltllflRIDGEPRT, MASSACHUSETTS. Letters Patent No. 70,082, dated Qetober. 22, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHERS IOR MILE-BOXES.

.TO .ALL PERSONS TO WHOM'TH-ESE PRESENTS MAY 'COB/lll:V

Be it known that I, WALTER K. Fosrrnn, of Cambridgeport, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, .have made a new and, useful invention, having referencer to Washers for Axle-.Boxes and Journals of WheelfCarriages ;4 and I do hereby declare the same to he fully described in the following specifi; cation, and represented vin the aecompanyinigdrawings, ofwhich- Figure 1 denotes al longitudinal section of a wheebbox, its washers and journal, as provided with my invention. l i

Figure 2a side view, and y Figure 3 a transverse section of one ot' thejournal-washers and its metallic annular, guards.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination of one or more annular or anged rings with each of the leather washers of the axle-journaland its box; there being-'usually two of such leather Washers to each journal. .lhey are situated in manner as represented in g. 1, in which they are shown' at a and In; A being the axle, B the wheel-box, and e the journal ofthe axle. Y

Washers, as commonly employed, have no metallic facings nor guards, as hereinafter described. The consequencels thatA theyoon become compacted --andworn out by pressure and-*friction against them, whilethe wheel may he in use., `In order to gain and preserve all the 'advantages of the leather Washer', I apply against either or cach of the sides of the Washer an annulus, c, of plate metal, which I make with a flange, short-tube, or lip d, to project from its inner periphery into the Washer, and to-t against the inner circumference thereof. I prefer, however, to employ ,two of such lipped' annulil to each washer, they being constructed so that the lip lor tube of one may `enter that of the other a's'hort distance, when the two annul arc-applied to opposite faces of a washer. The lips of the annuli prevent weer:ofjtlienleather on `its inner circumference, by the journal Vof the axle while in revolution; the annuli operating toprotcctv the washer from wear onits sides, When so protected, washers will last in a wheel-box a very much greater length of time than they Will without thepro` tection. The metallic annulipreservo the normal elasticity and cushioning properties of the leather, and enable itto contract and expand as circumstances may require. I sometimes make each of the guards. with two tubes or lips, they being arranged in manner as show vn in fig. 4, in which Wis the washer, It R the annuli, and I I their tubes or lips. The tubes of one washer overlap those ofthe other. AThe. guards prevent the -ordinary'contraction and consequent distension of the washer and its wear on its inner circumference. In this way the guard prevents particles ofthe washer from getting in contact with thcjonrnahland being mixed with the oilto the. detriment of the rubbing surfaces of the journal and its" box. l

By preventing wear of thewashers, by the means explained, I prevent thejamming of the conical journal into its box, so as to cause the two, when the wheel is in revolution, to become heated, and adhere, or he fixed, or-sct together.

What I claim, js- The combination andarrnngcment of one or two metallic annali or guards, or angedcrings, with a leather vwasher, or its equivalent, arranged within said rings, and to be used'on an axle-journal in manner as set forth. I also claiml the flanged guards as made with lips on their inner ends and outer circumferenccs to receive a washer, as Specified. Y l

WALTER'K. FOSTER. Witnesses: i l

It. II. EDDY, F. l. HALE, r. 

